This invention relates to apparatus for installing aerial cables of the type supported by utility poles, and more particularly, to an aerial cable installing apparatus that is capable of directing an aerial cable across an obstacle such as a road or river.
Utility poles commonly support many different types of aerial cables including high voltage power lines, cable TV cables, telephone wires, and the like. Most utility poles are arranged along roads and highways. When additional cables are to be suspended between utility poles, specially equipped service vehicles with platforms that can be raised into the air, must be used so that a service person can install the cable to the top of the poles. Unfortunately, this often requires closing the adjacent section of the road or highway to traffic.
The above problem is exacerbated when a new cable must be suspended between utility poles located on opposites sides of the road or highway. Such a scenario often requires the redirection of traffic in the area of the work. Moreover, if the additional cables are to be suspended above existing high voltage power lines, the electricity carried thereby must be shut down prior to suspending additional cables. This in turn results in an inconvenient and sometimes costly loss of power to homes, businesses, schools, etc., that are serviced by these power lines. Accordingly, an apparatus is needed for installing aerial cables which substantially eliminates or reduces the above problems.
An apparatus for installing aerial cables, the apparatus comprising at least one elongated member, at least one clip attached to the elongated member, the clip enabling the apparatus to be suspended from a messenger cable and move freely therealong, a wire gripping member attached to the elongated member, the wire gripping member for attaching a leading end of an aerial cable to the elongated member, and at least one open ended enclosure attached to the elongated member, the open ended enclosure for holding the aerial cable and allowing the cable to be slidably withdrawn therethrough.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the apparatus comprises a plurality of elongated members, a plurality of connectors which enable the elongated members to be assembled together in tandem, at least one clip attached to at least two of the elongated members, the clips enabling the assembled apparatus to be suspended from a messenger cable and move freely therealong, a wire gripping member attached to a leading one of the elongated members, the wire gripping member for attaching a leading end of an aerial cable to the leading elongated member, and at least one open ended enclosure attached to at least two of the elongated members, the open ended enclosures for holding the aerial cable and allowing the cable to be slidably withdrawn therethrough.
Further, a method for directing an aerial cable across an obstacle, using the apparatus, the method comprising the steps of attaching an aerial cable to the wire gripping member of the leading elongated member, assembling the elongated members together in tandem and positioning the aerial cable into the open ended enclosures, suspending the elongated members to a section of a messenger wire using the clips, sliding the assembled apparatus along the messenger from the first side of the obstacle toward a second side of the obstacle opposite to the first side thereof, thereby drawing the cable across the obstacle from the first side of the obstacle to the opposite second side of the obstacle, and pulling the cable through the open ended enclosures of the suspended apparatus from the second opposite side of the obstacle.